YOUNGSTOWN — Thomas D. Pierce V, 12, died Nov. 24 of viral meningitis, a type of meningitis that is rarely fatal, the Mahoning County Coroner’s office says.

Pierce, of Lake Milton, died at his home. He was a sixth-grade student in the Jackson Milton Local Schools and was a member of the Boy Scouts, according to his obituary, which incorrectly said he died from “complications from the flu.”

Dr. David Kennedy, Mahoning County coroner, said viral meningitis is not the flu. He said it is also not bacterial meningitis, a type of meningitis depicted in television commercials as sometimes occurring in college settings.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis and is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord.

It is often less severe than bacterial meningitis, and most people get better within seven to 10 days on their own without treatment, the CDC says. However, anyone with symptoms of meningitis should see a doctor right away because some types of meningitis can be very serious.

Initial symptoms of viral meningitis are similar to those for bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis, however, is usually severe and can cause serious complications, such as brain damage, hearing loss or learning disabilities, the CDC says.

Babies younger than one month old and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness from viral meningitis.

Non-polio enteroviruses are the most common cause of viral meningitis in the United States, especially from late spring to fall, the CDC says. That is when these viruses spread most often.

Common symptoms of viral meningitis in children and adults include fever, headache, stiff neck, eyes being more sensitive to light, sleepiness or trouble waking up from sleep, nausea, irritability, vomiting, lack of appetite and lethargy.

The best way to help protect yourself and others from non-polio enterovirus infections is to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after changing dispers or using the toilet, the CDC said.

Another is to avoid close contact, such as touching and shaking hands, with people who are sick.

Other preventive measures include avoiding bites from mosquitoes and other insects that carry diseases that can infect humans and controlling mice and rats.